The Dungeon of Graves: Session 4
General Summary
Rule 1: Don’t Split the Party
The night of fourth of Zhira brought bitter cold weather to the group assigned to bring the Shrike of Czira the Architect from the fabled Dungeon of Graves. It was cold enough that they were forced to keep a campfire even if it could attract danger. Fortunately for the adventurers the fog helped cover the light being cast from the fire and they had chosen to camp in the forest instead of the open lowlands. During the last few days of travel, they had noticed the frost forming in the mornings and the higher elevations having a dusting of snow. The Racchis mountains peaks covered in snow as the biting wind blows through the forest chilling the group to the bone. Where they had camped for the night, the group could hear the wind blowing through the forest, rattling the trees.
Nothing assaults the group throughout the night. The fifth of Zhira rises even colder with a threat of snow in the air. Namuel and Keartas rekindle the fire to help get the group warm enough for travel. Fox Tail, ever protective and considerate to the group's pact animal feelings, made sure Fredd had stayed warm throughout the night; shaking the frost off of her coat. Their donkey handles the cold better than most of the party, aside from the Goliaths. They decided to keep traveling along the treeline, attempting to cover their trek through the area from any prying eyes or dangerous creatures. As they traveled, they noticed the large paper like structures of wasp nests long forgotten. If they were to continue on their current path they would travel further into the forest and come upon the main wasp nest.
Sinestra asks the party how much they would be willing to risk for the reward. Wasp nests are one of the sources for parchment that spell scrolls, Blessed Books, and Enduring Spellbooks use. They decided to note the place on Keartas’ map for another day, possibly with help. Traveling around the area, they follow the expert navigation skills of Sinestra finding just the right path that they actually make excellent time. She is even able to triangulate the area where the large nest of wasps would be located, roughly estimating around 50 of the creatures. As they traveled, the druid was able to gather the herbs for Keartas’ spell and during their lunch break, he was able to resummon his familiar, Terrance, as a snowy owl. At this point in their day’s travel, Sinestra suggests that they stop skirting the treeline and travel the quicker path of the lowlands.
Traveling the rest of the day, they do not notice any creatures taking note of them. Off to the east they spot the Three-Eyed Bog heavy with mist. The fog chocks the entire area but is not the Brume but more of natural occurrence. As dusk falls they make camp. Taking their usual watches throughout the night the group settle in for another cold one. During the 2nd watch, the snow that had been heavy in the air finally decides to fall, blanketing the entire area with a dusting of snow. Just past 11, Keartas and Tumeti hear a noise that startles them. The snow had created this soft muffle to the forest noises and the abrupt deep wailing of the creature off to the west as a shock. Terrance, the snowy owl companion, went to investigate as Tumeti began to wake her companions and start the process of donning armor. Sinestra, seeing that Lothar needed assistance in quickening his actions, strolled over to help but not before muttering about how they rely on armor. The owl spotted two lanky, large creatures just to the northwest of them walking through the frozen land with one trailing behind crying out to the two infront of them. The front ones look misshapen and not quite as big as a giant but somewhere near that size, their hide armor in tatters with weapons stuck out of their bodies. Clearly the two giant-adjacent creatures, Ogres, were undead. Lothar thinks they must be skeletons. The one following the undead keeps reaching and calling out “nooo, please, not you, noooo”. Once again the party is torn between attacking or trying to negotiate as two of their party members speak giant.
Namuel, first to act, calls out to the Ogres “State your purpose!” in Giant and takes position. Everyone prepares possible reactions to how the Ogres take Nam’s words. It seemed that his words fell on undead ears as they pressed in with intent in their crazed eyes. The cleric releases his spell, Turn Undead, and the two skeletal Ogres start to flee the area. This makes the one that was wailing rather upset and they rush Tumeti, who was obviously not used to working with people and was standing out by themselves instead of safely behind or at least near Namuel. As the party descends upon the single target, the ogre quickly falls. Lothar approaches the slain creature preparing to help the being pass onto whatever welcomes them into the next life when the cleric of Vrokíva quickly backs up from the Ogre. While Namuel was patching up the foolish druid, Lothar had noticed a tattoo near the neck that is a mark of the Master. With his usual candor “We will soon have three [skeletons]”.
The ogre they had just slain had joined their companions in becoming undead. While the two still rush away from Namuel the third rises to do the bidding of the Master. After another skirmish, Fox Tail straight up plants the skeleton into the ground with a massive attack. The group, working together, take positions with the range out front to attack while the two skeletons were rushing back toward the group. Once the range makes their attacks they move safely way behind the frontline, in the case of the druid they join the frontline taking up a position behind the buffed cleric, Namuel. The two clerics discuss who should move to a safer distance. “If I live, you will not die” clearly states Lothar. This battle is more perilous with Fox Tail falling but is quickly brought back up to fight again by Nam and Tumeti. Sinestra downs one “Not so strong after all” and the druid is able to finish off the other.
Searching the bodies they find that ogres themselves do not have anything of value but the bag of body parts have a combined 170 gold pieces and 2 Wrenjer insignias. Before the group go back to their interrupted rest, they drag the bodies behind the same tall bushes they are taking cover behind and burn them with Tumeti saying a simple phrase in Giant.
The snow continues to fall as the group goes back to their watches covering those that slept outside with a cold blanket. The sixth of Zhira, finds the group continuing to travel north. Over the half day trip, the druid shares that they had the strangest dream of a vampire. Lothar insists on inspecting the “bite” but finds nothing. They all brush it off as a dream. It seems that the two who venerate Vrokíva both had interesting dreams, apparently Lothar is frequently visited by a screaming angel. Once again following the expert guide of Sinestra, they travel the quickest path to the second bridge. The Wild Edge River is faster than the Droellog and as they approach they notice a dead forest with no brush about ten miles to the east.
Many of the adventurers want to just continue across the bridge not wanting to risk anyone's life to investigate the dead forest. Lothar is adamant about going to see the area in hope of finding out what would have caused the forest to die. Tumeti also wants to know why Vrokíva’s Brume did not heal this area. It is brought up that the only area Vrokíva cannot affect is Ley Lines and that this could be a possible reason why the area wasn’t healed, but why would an area on a Ley Line be dead? The necromancer, Keartas, had already sent their snowy owl familiar out to investigate. With Lothar and Tumeti not being swayed by the rest of the group to not split up and risk everyone’s demise, the main group makes camp just south of the bridge giving the small group enough time to investigate and return. Keartas decides to join Lothar and Tumeti.
It was just past midday, around three in the afternoon, when the three set off to the east leaving the party behind. If they do manage to come back alive, they would need to rebuild some of the trust that they had just broken by deciding to split for their own personal interests. They follow The Wild Edge River to dead forest still wondering why a river and a ley line wasn’t able to feed the forest. The snow is still coming down but has let up to a light haze of snow. Passing into a relatively lower land than they had been previously traveling, Tumeti lights a torch with the light starting to pass behind the Racchis mountains. The area of death is expansive. The shred of the moon rising just highlights the bones of trees that sprout from the hills. They all inspect a tree, trying to glean at what would be denying the plant its nutrients. Keartas surmise that it must be some sort of supernatural poison, like the soil went sour. Terrance is called back to report on what the small owl had discovered. They report a freestanding stone structure about 20-30 feet long with a single door.
Following the owl’s directions, they find an ancient ornate stone structure with motifs that hadn’t been seen for roughly 300 years.The motifs seem to be reminiscent of the many empty tombs in Asheido for the Army of Light. In older Gylidder the stone mausoleum has an inscription: Baron Simrath, Warrior of Light, Follower of Zelkor, Merchant Lord of Kor. Inspecting the structure they notice that at the top of the door that is sealed shut, is a small one inch break. The door is much colder than that outside which has snow still falling. As they talk about the structure, they hear howling around them. Howling that is deeper than normal wolves. Working together they forced the door open and quickly shut it, securing it with magic and pitons.
The interior of the mausoleum had the same motifs as the outside but also showed the various battles of the Army of Light. At the far end stood an impressive sarcophagus bearing the same motif. Lothar, upon entering the stone structure had asked for the Baron’s blessings, and now seemed to want to open the tomb. Keartas begged for his companions to wait until he finished his ritual. As they waited they could hear the howling of the worgs get even closer. The room radiated Evocation and Necromancy. He even figured out that the main magical force was the spell Hallow. Tumeti and Lothar still open the tomb to find that it layed unoccupied.
A mist slunk into the mausoleum through the small crack on the top of the door. It started to form a darkly clad armor figure with gaunt features, raven hair, piercing red eyes, and terribly beautiful. Lothar surmises “Baron Simrath?” The Baron turns to the group telling them that they all have childlike curiosity and asks what brought them here. Lothar explains that their goddess demanded them, but in truth Vrokíva doesn’t demand anything of them but has sent trials to them. The vampire clearly states that Vrokíva has no power here, that this is the Master’s land and soon that influence will spread. He believes that they were brought here for a far simpler reason. The Master brought them here so they could join forces, so they can be bigger than the sum of their parts, to be together forever. Tumeti recognizes the vampire from her dream, which he confesses wasn’t a dream at all that he wanted to learn about their group. They all find it hard to look away from the mesmerizing red eyes. Lothar wants to know what the Master would have of them and what their reward would be. Keartas finds it hard to string a compresenhible phrase in the midst of a vampire but still tries to lie to Baron Simrath. Much discussion is had, with Lothar repeating that their reverence is already spoken for. However, Tumeti shares the thought of what if this is what Vrokíva wishes of them, to become immortal. Lothar tries to negotiate that he would stay but the others should be free to leave. The vampire, who had shown inhuman restraint with the three, compromises letting one of them return to their friends.
Tumeti doesn’t even let Keartas try to volunteer to stay and shoves him at the door. As he leaves he turns back to his companions thanking them for everything. Baron Simrath shuts the door behind Keartas before he could spend more time talking to them. Turning back to the two remaining, “I have heard you talk, speak with certainty about Vrokíva and how the Master is still at the mercy of her whims. I wanted you to know that despite what you believe, the Master’s power is strong enough to piss on your plans and I can’t very much let you learn this without returning to your friends.” He quickly opens the door telling the two to leave and never to return, his mood will not suffer them longer.
Report Date
02 Nov 2020
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